Oil Pollution: Reps ask FG to sanction Shell, Agip

 

Reps say the two oil giants are violating Nigeria's environmental laws and must be checked.

 

The House of Representatives has asked the federal government to sanction Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) and Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) for gross violation of Nigeria’s environmental laws.

 

It also asked the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), and the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to apply sanctions for activities of the oil companies that affect the sources of livelihood of host communities.

 

The decision to call for the sanctions followed a motion moved by Henry Nwawuba​​​ (PDP) Mbaitoli/Ikeduru federal constituency of Imo State and 14 others on Tuesday.

 

Motion

Moving the motion, Mr Nwawuba highlighted different oil spills by assets operated by Shell and Agip in the past one year.

 

He said the oil companies have failed to do a proper cleanup in those communities.

 

According to the lawmaker, oil spill is responsible for poverty in several oil communities in the Niger Delta region.

 

He noted that there “were two separate oil spills from Okordia Rumuekpe pipeline and the flow station at John Krana 4, known as Adibawa flow station in Eharama Community of Bayelsa State owing to long usage of oil pipeline since 1969, operated by Shell (SPDC), and the Ogada-Brass pipeline operated by AGIP (NAOC) both of which occurred in 2020.”

 

He further noted that “activities of Shell Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) in B–Dere, Ogada–Brass, Okordia Rumuekpe and other communities in Ogoni land of Rivers and Bayelsa states are causing unemployment and pollution of land, rivers and forests.”

 

Added resolutions

The House urged the DPR, Shell Petroleum Development Company and Nigeria Agip Oil to comply strictly with NOSDRA Act.

 

Also, the legislature mandated its committee on host communities to liaise with NOSDRA, DPR, Shell and Agip “to carry out effective inspection and comprehensive assessment at Muuabooh, Kinaben, Vuruvulu and Ke–eegio creeks in B–Dere and other impacted areas in Gokana Local Government Area of Ogoni land to ensure strict compliance with the NOSDRA Act as well as the Environmental Guidelines and Standards for the Petroleum Industry In Nigeria (EGASPIN).